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Anthony B
Boston Boston, Massachusetts is one of the oldest cities in the United States and is the cultural and economic center of New England. With a metropolitan area population of about 5 million it is by far the largest city in New England. People associate Boston with various things, whether its historical role in the early years of the country, its professional sports organizations, the multiple institutions of higher education and research, or even smaller events such as the Boston marathon or the “Big Dig.” Many people think of Boston in terms of the large Irish-Catholic influence in the city. The city has a rich cultural and economic history and continues to be a vital part of the landscapes of both New England and the United States. Boston was founded in 1630 in the early years of European immigration to America. Because of Boston’s location on the Shawmut peninsula and its numerous ports, it quickly became the economic center for New England. Boston did not have the strong agricultural base that some of the southern colonies had and therefore relied on trade in its early economy. The trade was primarily with Europe but merchants also began trading on lines with China and the West Indies. As the colonies grew, so did the tensions between them and Britain. In 1770, 5 civilians were shot and killed by British soldiers. This became known as the Boston massacre and was one of many events that lead up to the Revolutionary War. In 1773, some Boston citizens destroyed some tea from Britain after the officials in Boston refused to return it. The tea had been taxed and the citizens did not want to pay taxes to officials they had not elected. This became known as the Boston Tea Party. After the Revolutionary war, Boston continued to progress economically. In “Across This Land,” John Hudson explains the pattern of Boston’s economy. The economy has historically adapted and uses the previous industry to fund the new industry. As the trade industry began to decline, many Bostonians turned to manufacturing. This was one of the primary industries in Boston for many years. The 1800’s brought wave after wave of immigrants from Europe. Boston saw a large influx of Irish immigrants. Boston became a city of cultural sub-divisions. As Boston’s population grew, so did the city’s need for more space. Over time, land has been moved from one area and added to others around the peninsula Boston sits on. During World War II Boston saw an increase in technology based industry. Yet another example of the economic pattern Hudson mentions. These technology based companies became intertwined with the academic and research institutions Boston is so well known for. ' MODERN DAY BOSTON' Boston’s modern day economy is based on several industries. Tourism, numerous academic and research institutions, technology companies, and banking make up a large portion of the economy. Boston is still a very diverse city and has cultural different neighborhoods and areas within it. According to the U.S. census conducted in 2000, the greater Boston metropolitan area has a population of 5,029,148. About 4.2 million of those residents are white or Caucasian, about 340,000 are Hispanic or Latino, approximately 300,000 are black or African-American, and about 80,000 are Chinese. Other races make up the rest. Boston is a relatively educated city with approximately one third of its population over the age of 25 having at least a bachelor’s degree. Irish was the most common ancestry reported with approximately 1.2 million people claiming it. Second was English, with 552,000, followed by French with approximately 346,000. WEBSITES USED http://www.cityofboston.gov/TridionImages/10%20Boston's%20People%20and%20Economy_tcm1-3161.pdf http://www.city-data.com/us-cities/The-Northeast/Boston-Economy.html http://censtats.census.gov/data/MA/390251122.pdf http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston http://www.northrup.org/photos/boston/boston-skyline-with-canon-10d.htm